Contact: Drew Sauer, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

Box Score

Jan. 23, 2019 – Holding their opponent to under 50 points for the first time this season, the North Central College women's basketball team completed the season sweep of Augustana College on Wednesday with a 58-49 victory, earning their second straight College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) win.

The Cardinal defense shined all evening, allowing a season-low 31 percent shooting from the field, as the Vikings shot just 20-of-64 from the field, including a 1-of-21 showing from three-point range.

North Central (5-14, 3-7 CCIW) jumped out to a 11-4 lead and held the lead the rest of the contest, as a layup and three-pointer from Natali Dimitrova sparked the early run.

Both teams struggled from the field in the second quarter, going nearly four minutes without either team scoring, until Dimitrova and Lyndsay Brennan each hit from short range to break the scoreless streak while increasing the Cardinal lead to double digits, 22-12.

Holding the Viking offense scoreless for over a six minute stretch, a Clare Kramer jumper at the 4:57 mark cut the lead to single digits once again.

Leading 33-27 with 6:17 to play in the third quarter, the two teams again went scoreless for nearly another six-minute span before Haydn Braun cut the drought with a three-point play the old fashioned way.

Following another jumper from Kramer on the other end, Page Desenberg knocked down two huge threes on consecutive possessions with under a minute to play in the third, increasing the lead back to double figures 42-29.

Augustana (11-8, 5-5 CCIW) fought back in the fourth quarter however, going on a 9-2 run midway through to pull to within four points of the lead with 1:51 to play in the contest as an Alexis Jones three-pointer snapped an 0-for-17 streak from beyond the arc for the Vikings.

With the Vikings forced to foul with just over a minute to play, North Central sealed the victory from the free throw line, connecting on 7-of-8 attempts in the closing seconds.

Dimitrova paced the offense with 16 points, while Maya Walls finished with nine and two blocked shots.  Desenberg and Alanna Newsome each finished with eight points, while Brennan grabbed a team-leading eight rebounds and also added a pair of blocks.

Jones (15 points) and Izzy Anderson (17 points) combined to score 32 of Augustana's 49 points on the evening, while Jones also led the team with eight rebounds and Scooter Lopez finished with a game-high seven steals.

North Central hits the road for three straight beginning on Saturday, Jan. 26, heading to North Park University with tip-off at 5 p.m.  Links to live in-game coverage are available HERE.